Check writer



May 15, 1934- H. c. WELTER 1,959,186

CHECK WRITER Filed Dec. 19, 193O 5 Sheets-Sheet l N@ JW v A TTo/e/VE y May 15, 1934. C, WELTER 1,959,186

CHECK WRITER Filed Deo. 19, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR #7W/J 2 @nys/fw" L ATToRN Y May 15 1934 H. c. wELTl-:R y 1,959,186

CHECK WRITER l j; c? NVENTOR CVZ/a??? QW/Mi @Y (www May 15, 1934- y H. c. WELTER 1,959,186

CHECK WRITER May 15 1934- vH. c. WELTER 1,959,186

CHECK WRITER Filed Deo. 19, 195o 5 sheets-sheet 5 IE- l? j /N VENTO/e /5/@71/77//7/ (756212077 Patented May 15, 1934 PATENT 'OFFICE CHECK WRITER Herman C. Welter, Rochester, N. Y., assigner to Hall-Welter Co., inc., poration of New Yori:

Rochester', N. Y., a cor- Application December 19, 1930, Serial No. 503,515

26 Claims.

The present invention relates to check writers and more particularly to the set-up type of machine in which independently movable type carn riers are manipulated to form a printing line, the object of the invention being, in general, to provide an. improved apparatus of this character which is simple in construction, positive in operation, not liable to derangement and which embodies in a novel construction all the essential features employed in a modern check writing and check protecting mechanism.

The improvements are directed in part toward the construction and mounting of the multiple printing elements whereby they may be assembled outside of the unit and then placed in the machine; toward prexing the printed amount of the check with a counter signature or other mark of identication, and to make the type bar bearing such mark of identification readily removable and insertable, this being an added feature of protection, not against raising the check but against forgery, the type bar being removable and intended always to be in possession of the person having authority to operate the machine,

the bank being authorized not to honor a check unless the counter signature or other mark of identity appears thereon in the manner specified; and toward the mechanism for mutilating the area of the check on which the payees name is written, this being accomplished in an effective and simple manner by means of an independently operable platen and cooperating impression member, the platen operating means, in location and operation with respect to the printing members, being made, if desired, to correspond to the space bar on a typewriter. Novel features of a particular inking mechanism are shown and described in full because of their intimate association with the printing features, but this invention constitutes the subject matter of a separate application di vided from this one, being application, Serial No. 674,406, filed June 5, 1933.

To these and other ends, the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations oi parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end oi the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the check writer constructed in accordance with and illustrating one embodiment of my invention;

Fig.. 2 is a bottom plan view drawn to a larger scale;

Figs. 3 and 4 are opposite side elevations of the machine; i

Fig. 5 is a detailed view in elevation of one of the ink roller re-inkers;

Fig. 6 shows the ink rollers and their supporting means removed from the machine;

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view as on line 7 7,

(Ci. i- 19) Fig. 1, with the printing platen and other parts operating therewith in their inoperative positions;

Fig. 8 is a View smilar to Fig. '7 but with parts removed and with the platen shown in its inoperative position;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view as on line 9--9, Fig. 7, but with the platen and re-inking mechanism in the positions shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional detail showing the mechanism for mutilating that portion of the paper on which the payees name is written;

Fig. 11 is a view in side elevation of the printing platen and its holder;

Figs. 12 and 13 are plan and edge views, respectively, of one of the flexible strips;

Fig. 14 is a sectional detail as on line 14-14, Fig. 1;

Fig. 15 is a front view of the printing element as assembled for placement in the machine;

Fig. 15A is a sectional detail on line 15A- 15A, Fig. 3;

Fig. 16 is a sectional detail as on line 16-16, Fig. 11;

Fig. 1'7 is a face view oi one of the rotatable printing member spacing Washers;

Fig. 18 is a side view in detail of the spring dog supporting and guiding members; and

Fig. 19 represents a fragmentary portion of a check showing printing thereon as done by the machine.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

Before proceeding with a detailed description of the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, I will give a general idea ci the mode of operation and the results produced. As stated above, Fig. 19 shows an inscribed fragment of a check resulting from a complete operation of the machine. The printed line produced by the serrated types and platens that cause the ink thereon to permeate the paper as it is shredded by them is divided in its production into the beforementioned counter signature impression A, the dollars designation B and the cents designation C. These are impressed through relatively fixed type couples. The intermediate impressions, D for the dollars digits and stop-oli characters and E for the cents digits, are produced by a plurality of relatively movable types. -Provision is made for printing the counter signature A in ink of a contrasting color, if desired. By a preferably succeeding and independent operation, the payees name, indicated at F and appearing above the printed line, is protected by shredding the paper, as indicated at G, through a mechanism which, however, embodies a die movable to operative position during the printing operation with the movement of the inking device thereof. In other words, the same movement that presents ink to the printing types positions the shredding couple for protecting the payees name. The printing elements, both xed and movable, are all assembled together in their proper relationships and inserted in the casing of the machine as a unit.

When the operator sets the movable amount types D and E in such arrangement as to produce the desired amount figure, he is aided by a visible index that registers the setting `iust as it appears at the printing point. Through the use of a flexible index strip, I am able to make this register very simple in construction and operation and at the same time conserve space and reduce the over-all dimensions of the casing or container.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the casing is shown as an integral casting comprising a base 1 and top section 2, the latter overhanging the base to provide a slot opening 3 between the two sections for receiving the work indicated by the numeral 4 and which rests upon a removable bed plate 5, the latter forming a cover for the base and having a transverse opening 6 through which the platens are raised in their operative movements and, at each side of the top section, a longitudinally extending slot 7 through which extend the free ends of swinging arms 8 which comprise a stop or check gauge later to be described.

Inserted in axially aligned openings in the overhanging portion of the top section 2 are bushings which support, in their counterbored inner ends, a transversely extending non-rotatable shaft 10, the ends of which are internally threaded to receive retaining screws 11, washers 1la being interposed between the heads of these screws and the outer ends of the bushings which are iiush with the outer faces of the side walls of the casing. Carried by the shaft 10 and held thereon against rotation by tapered pins 12 are a plurality of (in this instance, three) printing members 13, 14 and 15 arranged in spaced relation to each other, being the three fixed types for the Zones A, B and C of Fig. 19. These members are provided with upwardly and rearwardly extending arms 16 which are apertured to receive a transversely extending tie-rod 16a secured in the side walls of the casing section 2, such rod providing an anchoring means for the printing members which prevents any possible rotary displacement thereof or of the shaft 10. The bottom of the intermediate member 14 has a type face bearing the abbreviation Dols (B) and an underscore line. The right hand member 15 has a similar type face bearing the abbreviation Cts (C) with an underscore line. And, the bottom of the left hand and wider member 13 is formed in the direction of its length with a channel 17 open at one end to receive a removable type bar 18, the printing face of which may bear any desired word or mark of identification such, for instance, as the payors name (A), the inner end of this bar abutting the end of the channel while it is yieldingly held against both longitudinal and vertical displacement by spring plates 19 secured to the converging sides of the bottom portion of the member 13, the sides of the bar 18 being slotted as at 13a to receive the inturned bottom edgesrof the spring plates. 1n the outer end of the bar 18 is a tapped hole for receiving the threaded end of a rod 20 or other suitable means for inserting the bar and removing it from its holder 13. rl'fhe members 13, 14 and 15 are each formed with a rearward (2X.-

tension 20a having a surface spaced from but. substantially in the plane of the type face and for a purpose later to be described.

Interposed between the fixed members 13 and 14 and independently rotatable on the shaft 10 is one group of plates 21, each of which embodies a printing segment 22 having a series of type forms comprising, and reading clockwise from the bottom, a stop-oif character (X)` the dollar sign (t), a nought (0) and the numerals (l) to (9), inclusive. This group produces the zone D on the printed check. Likewise arranged between the fixed members 14 and 15 is another group of plates 21 provided with the printing segment 22 and producing the Zone E on the printed check. These plates 21 considered collectively to comprise both groups are also provided with upwardly extending operating levers or keys 27, one of which lies throughout its full length in a vertical plane while those tothe left and right there- -of are off-set, respectively, to the left and right so that the upper ends of all the keys are equally spaced and at a distance apart which permits their ready manipulation by the iingers of the operator.

Adjacent plates 21 are spaced apart by washers 23 which are punched out, as shown in Fig. 17, to provide an outer ring of regularly spaced offset portions 24 on one face and a ring of off-set portions 25 on the opposite face, the portions forming the ring on one side alternating with those forming the ring on the other side, these portions olf-set from the plane of the body of the washer, thus affording true spacing means with a minimum bearing surface and permitting easy manipulation of the rotatable plates. The plates 21 adjacent the xed members 13, 14 and 15 are, in this instance, spaced therefrom by plain washers 26.

The printing element as a whole, comprising the xed members 13, 14 and 15, the rotatable members 21 and the spacing washers 23 and 26 assembled as a unit on the shaft 10, as shown in Fig. 15, is placed in the casing through an opening 28 in the top and front walls of the top section 2, the shaft being aligned with the openings in the casing which receive the bushings 9. These bushings are then inserted and secured to the shaft by the retaining screws 11, which with the washers 112L also function to hold the shaft against axial movement. Then, as hereinabove stated, the members 13, 14 and 15 and the shaft 10 are locked against rotary displacement by the tie-rod 16a which is extended through the openings therefor in such members and anchored in the side walls of the casing.

The opening 28 is normally closed by a removable cover plate 29 formed with a plurality of parallel slots 30 through which the keys 27 extend, the ends of the keys being provided with detachable nger pieces 31. This plate 29 has a curvature concentric with the shaft 10 and bears suitable indexes for the proper manipulation of the printing segments. For instance, to one side of each slot is an index registering the position of each key corresponding to the type forms on the corresponding printing segment except that they are in reverse order. Should the amount to be printed be $387.50, as in Fig. 19, the first two keys 27, reading from the left in Fig. 15, would be -N placed in their uppermost positions, that is, opposite the stop-off characters (9:), the fourth key would be moved opposite numeral (3) on its index, the next key to (8) on its index, the next to (7) on its index, and the two last keys to the right would be moved opposite to (5) and (0), respectively, on their indexes.

The construction of this means for visual indication of the set-up for the line to be printed as a registering index is best shown -in Figs. 1 and 7 To this end, each key or lever 27 carries a rearwardly extending segmental arm 32, the forward end of which is provided with an opening .33 for receiving a hook 34 on one Vend of a flexible metallic strip 35, shown in `detail in Figs. 12 `and 13, on which is a column of printed characters corresponding to the types on the printing segments 22 and the index columns on the plate. These strips 315, Figs. 7 and 14, the rear ends yof which are free, pass under a cross plate 36 having a series of aligned openings v37 therein covered by transparent windows 128, one for each strip, for viewing the characters on the strips directly under the cover plate 29 and having :downwardly turned side flanges which are channeled lto provide guides 38 for the strips, the latter passing over a supporting rod 39 which lies under the plate 36. Thus, it will be observed that when a key 27 is moved forward, its flexible strip 35, which normally extends rearwardly substantially tangential to the segment arm 32, will be drawn forward and guided against lateral displacement, the strip being flexed and `conforming to the segment arm upon which it is wound instead `of continuing its rectilinear path `straight forward, in which case the length of the casing would have to be as great at the front of the machine as at the rear to accommodate the strip in both of its extreme positions, respectively registering its first and last characters on the index. In the lcover 29 above the cross plate 36 are window openings 39, 40 and 4l, through which the positions of the keys may be read and the corresponding set-up of the printing segments thus known before the printing operation is performed.

Cooperating with the type line hereinabove described, is a platen comprising a bar 42 having a serrated face for engagement with the similarly grooved type, this bar being seated in a .channel 43, Figs. 7 and 8, in a holder 44 and against the ends of set screws 45 which are locked in proper position of adjustment lby nuts 46. Screws 47 threaded upwardly through the holder 44 and into the platen retain the latter seated against the supporting studs. The platen holder is in itself a cross bar formed integrally with the forward ends of the arms of a Y- shaped lever 48 fulcrumed on a shaft 49 located adjacent and in rear of the platen holder 44 and mounted against rotation in bosses on the base 1. The rear and longer arm of the lever 48 has pivotal connection with links 50 which are also pivotally connected to an arm 51 extending forwardly from and xed to a transversely extending operating shaft 52 rotatably mounted in the side walls of the casing.

The shaft 52 is rotated by means of a lever 53 secured thereto and provided with an operating handle 54, angular throw of the shaft being limited by stop pins 55 and 56 extending outwardly from the casing and adapted to engage a pin `57 by means of which the operating lever is keyed to the shaft. A forward throw of the lever 53 effects, through the toggle con nection comprising the arm 51 and links 50, a movement of the lever- 48 which causes the platen to be raised through the opening 6 in the bed plate and forcefully press the check 4 against the type of the set-up line, this movement of the platen being against the action of coiled springs 58 attached to the lever 48 at its forward end and to brackets-59 carried by the rear wall of the base portion 1 of the casing, the springs returning the operating lever and parts controlled thereby to inoperative positions when the handle is released.

The types are automatically inked at each operation of lever 53. Fixed to the operating shaft 52, adjacent a side wall of the casing is a crank 60 which, through a horizontally extending link .61 connects with one arm of a two-arm lever 62 fulcrumed on a rod 63 extending transversely of the casing, the other arm of this lever having pin-and-slot connection 64 with one end of a link `62 which, at its other end, has pivotal connection with and intermediate the ends of a lever 66 fulcrumed at one end on a stud 67 projecting inwardly from a side wall of the casing. The lower end of the lever 66 carries a laterally extending pin 68 which engages an upstanding inverted U-shaped strap 69 on a reciprocatory plate 70, this engagement of the lever 66, through the medium of the pin 68 with the said strap, being the means for effecting reciprocatory movement of the plate 70 (see also Fig. 2), the latter being moved rearwardly when the operating lever 53 is thrown forward and in the other direction when such lever returns to its inoperative position. Movement of the plate 70 and its operating connections to their' inoperative positions of Fig. 7 is effected by a coiled spring 71 connected at one end to the lever 66 and anchored at its other end to a side wall of the casing, and by a like spring 72 connected to the plate itself and to the opposite wall of the casing. The plate 70 is guided in its reciprocatory movement on rails 73 projecting inwardly from the side walls of the casing, the rails being slightly inclined rearwardly and the center of the plate being cut away to permit it to straddle the toggle arm 5l.

Rigidly secured to the forward edge of the plate 70 is a die bar 74 having a serrated undersurface, this bar being arranged intermediate the plate 70 and a pad holder 75 formed of thin sheet metal and extending transversely of the machine, the edges of the holder being turned upwardly and inwardly as clamping means for an inking pad comprising two sections, one of which 76 (Fig. 9) is inked with ink of one color and the other 77 with ink of a contrasting color. This pad holder is supported along its inner longitudinal edge by a pintle 78 carried by hinge members 79 extending over the top of the bar 74 and secured to the forward edge of the plate 70 by the rivets which are also employed to hold the serrated bar in place. The side edges of the plate 70 ride on the rails by ears 79a pressed from the plane thereof so as to engage under the rails.

Secured to the forward ends of the rails 73 on their under-sides is a stripper plate 80 of flexible sheet metal having parallel openings 81 and 82 arranged above the opening 6 in the bed plate 5, one of these openings being to receive the platen 42 and the other a platen 83,

later to be described, which cooperates with the serrated plate 74 in mutilating the paper to protect the payees name.

To the under side of a ledge 84 at the forward end of the base l, there is secured the apex end lll-f This stripico per actuating plate 85 is forced upwardly under the yielding pressure of spring fingers 87 carried by the forward end of the operating lever 48.

In rear of the printing element are lnk rollers 88 and 89, shown in detail in Fig. 6, the roller 88 supplying ink to the pad section 76 which inks the type forms on the fixed members 13, 14, 15 and the rotatable segments 22, while the shorter roller 89 supplies ink to the pad section 77 which inks the type bar 18. These rollers are insertable through an opening 90 in a side wall of the casing and are loosely mounted on a rod 91, carried by a cover plate 92 for such opening and which is provided with dowell pins 93 to engage in the openings 94 at each side of the roller opening to removably support the cover plate, the inner end of the rod being receivable in bearing 95 on the opposing side wall of the casing.

Referring again to the rotatable printing members 21, it will be observed that peripheral portions thereof opposing the type segments 22 are provided with teeth 96 which cooperate with the forward ends of spring dogs comprising levers 97 rotatably mounted on the rod or shaft 63 on which the lever 62 is pivoted and which lies at the bottom of and supports a channeled memyber 98 having a plurality of vertically arranged U-slots 99 for receiving the levers 97 and holding them against lateral displacement, the rear ends of these levers being connected tocoiled springs 100 which at their upper ends are anchored to a tie-rod 101. The function of these spring dogs 97 is to yieldably hold the printing segments in any position of rotary adjustment.

Fitted on squared ends of the shaft 63 are the upper ends of the arms 8, hereinabove referred to, which extend downwardly and rearwardly with their free ends projecting through the slot openings 7 in the bed plate 5, these arms being manually adjustable and frictionally engaging the bosses in which the shaft 63 has bearing so as to yieldingly retain the position to which they are adjusted. They comprise a gauge against which the advanced top edge of the check 4 abuts and holds the check in position relatively to the type line so that the printing will appear on the proper line of the check.

Pivoted to the forward end of the top section 2 on the outer face thereof are swinging arms 102, their inner ends being formed to provide V-shaped portions 103 which rest upon the check and. hold it in contact with the bed plate. V-shaped portions also function as a sight gauge for positioning the work so that the printing will be on the amount line, the arms 8 being adjusted after the check has been properly positioned with respect to the sight gauge.

Theoverhanging portion of the top section 2 of the casing is open at the bottom and such opening extends into the front wall, a cover plate 105, employed as a closure for the wall opening, being removably held in place by the screws 104 on which the arms 102 are pivoted. This cover plate 105 conforms to the rounded ends of the side Walls of the casing and its bottom edge furnishes a support for the free forward edge of the stripper plate 80, holding the latter in spaced relation to the bed plate 5, the stripper plate thus functioning also as a guard for protecting the check from contact with the printing members except through the slot openings 81 and 82.

Assuming that the type bar 18, bearing the payors name or other mark of identification, has been inserted by the tool,20 through an opening These' Leaiee 106 at the left side of the machine in a side wall of the casing into the xed member 13, and a check 4 placed on the bed plate 5 against the properly adjusted gauge members 8, in which position it is held by the weight of the swinging arms 102, the machine is ready to be operated and such operation of the parts so far described is as follows:

The keys 27 are manipulated to set up the type line and the amount to be printed is read through the window openings in the cover plate 29 and underlying guide plate 36. Should an error have been made in the set-up, it may be readily corrected by further manipulation of one or more of the keys 27.

A forward and downward pull on the operating lever 53 effects a rotary movement of the shaft 52 which, through the toggle connections 51-50, causes a downward swing' of the rear end of the lever 48, the consequent upward movement of the holder 44 carrying the platen bar 42 upwardly into printing engagement with the type, the platen moving through the opening 6 in the bed plate and the slot opening 81 in the stripper plate 80. The parts are so timed and relatively arranged that before the platen enters the opening 6 the spring arms 87 have engaged the'plate 85, the edge of its flange 86 moving upwardly just in advance of the platen. Thus, the check 4 is raised from the bed plate 5 by the flange 86 and gripped thereby against the upwardly movable stripper plate 80, the yielding of the spring arms 87 permitting a continued upward movement of the platen after the check 4 has been gripped in the manner just above described and further movement of the plates 80 and 85 retarded. Then, as the platen enters the opening 81 in the stripper plate it stretches the interposed portion of the check taut over the face of the platen and forces it into contact with the type line, the walls of the opening 81 also functioning to hold the check against displacement during the printing operation as they hold it stretched over the face of the platen.

Y As the platen is swinging upwardly the carriage, comprising plate 70, die bar 74 andhinged pad holder 75,Y is caused to move rearwardly with the pad sections 76 and 77 brushing against the face of the set-up type line, this movement being so timed that the pad passes out of engagement with the type before the platen enters the opening 81 in the stripper plate, movement of the carriage being effected by its engagement through the pin 68 with the swinging lever 66 which is actuated by the lever 60 on the shaft 52 and the connections 61, 62 and 65. During this rearward movement of the pad, the hinged holder rides over ears 75b pressed upwardly from the plane of the plate 80, these ears forcing the pad sections 76 and'77 into contact with their freely rotatable reinking rollers 88 and 89,' respectively.

It may be stated that when printing contact is made by the platen and type line, the stripper plate lies substantially flush with but slightly below the serrated face of the platen and in which position such plate also acts as a protecting means whereby no portion of the check other than that contacting with the type line is exposed to possible smearing by portions of the printing segments adjacent the printing line.

When the lever 53 is released, the springs 58 effect a movement of the platen and its operating parts to their respective inoperative positions of Fig. 7, the springs 71 and 72 also functioning to return the lever 66 and connections operating the ink pad carrying plate or carriage to their normal, operative positions, of the same figure. The stripper plate 80 being flexible automatically drops to inoperative position, yieldingly following the platen but cooperating with the flange 86 in gripping the check 4 while the platen is moving downwardly and while the check is being stripped from the type form. Release of the stripper actuating plate 85 by the spring arms 87 permits the latter also to resume its inoperative position. Return movement of the stripper plate 80 is, of course, in advance of the return of the carriage 70 and pad holder 75 carried thereby, the latter, as it rides off the ears h, permitting the pad sections 76 and 77 to effect a spin of their respective re-inking rollers 88 and 89, whereby different circumferential portions of the rollers will be presented to the pad on successive operations of the machine.

There is built integrally into the top section of the casing ink wells 107 and 108, these wells being normally closed by screw caps 109 each carrying a slotted blade 110 by means of which the ink is removed from the wells and applied to the rollers 88 and 89, the latter,` with the rod 91 on which they are carried, being removed from the casing when ink is applied thereto.

Another feature of the invention is to provide means for protecting the payees name and to this end there is provided a second platen bar 83 having a serrated face for engaging the serrated -under face of the bar 74 on the carriage 70, referring in this connection more particularly to Figs. 7 and 10, Adjacent the ends of the platen 83 are slots 112 to receive the upper ends of links 113 pivotally secured to the platen, the lower ends of these links having pivotal connection with the short inner arms of a pair of two-arm levers 114 fulcrumed on studs 115 mounted in bosses 116 on the base 1. The outer arms of these levers extend forwardly and are upwardly inclined, the ends thereof projecting through slot openings 117 in the base and are secured to a bar 118 which, it might be stated, corresponds to the space bar of a typewriter. After a check has been printed, a downward movement of the bar 118 causes an upward throw of the platen 111, through the opening 6 in the bed plate and the opening 82 in -the stripper plate, into contact with the anvil or cooperating impression member 74, the latter at this time lying under and against the extensions 20a on the members 13, 14 and 15 heretofore described. A leaf spring 119 carried by the platen bar and engaging the holder 44 on the operating lever 48 functions to hold the platen in vertical position, the end of the platen being otherwise loosely guided in channel brackets 120 secured to the base 1. In other words, the guiding must be loosely accomplished inasmuch as the link connection 118 results ina slightly arcuate movement by the spring aforesaid but nevertheless holds the platen bar or die against one side of the guide at the point of impact with the comnanion die. A wire spring 121, attached to the ledge to which the stripper actuating plate 86 is secured and by the means which holds such plate in place, has its free ends engaging the levers 114 and functions to return the bar 118 and consequently the platen 111 to inoperative positions.

It is pointed out that as the bar 42 rises toward the check to make theimpression, the check is held or clamped between the two resilient members and 86 which hold it taut against the upper printing or impression element and do not leave it until the lower bar has returned and they have laid it back upon its table or support positively and without danger of it being deranged upon being stripped away, as is apt to be the case when a check is allowed to simply fall away from the impression member. This is important as it accurately re-positions the check for the subsequent operation of the shredding dies that protect the payees name.

From the foregoing it will be observed that I have provided a check writer of simple construction, one that may be readily assembled and in which the parts are not liable to derangement; that the set-up of the machine may be rapidly accomplished, visual indication assuring that the set-up is correct; that a clear-cut impression on the paper will be made; that the work is protected from contact with any of the inking members other than the set-up line of type; that the printing is accomplished by a single throw of an operating lever, an additional operation of a readily accessible and easily manipulated bar effecting mutilation of the portion of the check on which the payees name is written; that the check is automatically gripped and held against displacement during the printing operation; and, thatra positive re-inking of the inking pads is assured every time the machine is used.

It may be added that access to parts within the casing may be had through an opening 122 in the back wall of the tcp section 2, which is normally closed by a removable cover 123; that the open bottom of the casing is normally closed by a bottom plate 124 held in place by screws 125 and by rubber feet 126 inserted through openings in the plate 4124.

What I claim is:

l. In a check writer, the combination with a casing having an open'ng, a platen and a support for the check, of a printing element comprising a shaft, a plurality of non-rotatable members on said shaft, type forms carried by said members, and a plurality of independently rotatable members on said shaft including segmental portions having type forms adapted to be brought :f'ntoA registry with said fixed forms, each of said rotatable members being operable from the exterior of the casing, the said printing element being assembled as a unit and being capable of insertion through said casing opening in a direction transversely of the shaft; means insertable in the casing endwise of the shaft for supporting said shaft, means for yieldingly holding said rotatable members in position of angular adjustment, and spring retractible means for effecting a relative movement of the platen and said printing element into printing engagement.

2. A check writer in accordance with claim Vl characterized by said platen being the movable member in the printing operation.

3. In a check writer, the combination with a casing having an opening, a platen and a support for the check, of a printing element comprising a shaft, a plurality of non-rotatable members on said shaft, type forms carried by said inembers, and a plurality of contiguous independently rotatable members on said shaft arranged between said xedmembers and including segmental portions bearing type forms adapted to be brought into registry with said fixed forms, each of said rotatable members being operable from the exterior of the casing, the said printing element being assembled as a unit and inserted through said casing opening; means insertable inthe casing for supporting said shaft, means for yieldingly holding said rotatable members in position of angular adjustment, and spring retractable means for effecting operative movement of the platen.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a casing having aligned openings in opposite side walls and an open face between said walls, of a printing element comprising a shaft, a type carrier mounted on said shaft, the assembled printing element being insertable through said open face of the casing, extensions for said shaft insertable through said aligned openings and having bearing in said side walls, means for securing said extensions to the shaft and means cooperating with said securing means and said side walls for holding the shaft against axial movement.

5. A construction in accordance with claim 1i characterized by said type carrier including printing members xed to said shaft, and a plurality of independently rotatable members operable from the exterior of the casing and on which are segmental portions having type forms adapted to be brought into registry with those on the xed members.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a casing having aligned openings in opposite side walls and an open face between said walls, of a printing element comprising a shaft and a type carrier mounted on said shaft,

the assembled printing element being insertable through said open face of the casing, bushings in said side wall insertable through the aligned openings from the exterior and having inwardly J projecting bearings for the ends of the shaft,

screws threaded into the ends of the shaft through said bushings, and washers engaging between the heads of the screws and said side walls.

7. In a check writer, a casing comprising a base and a top section overhanging the base to provide a slot opening for receiving a check, a bed plate on said base as a support for the check, a type support and a platen movable relatively toward each other to impress the check between them, said bed plate having a slot to permit cooperative engagement of the type and platen, an adjustable stop gauge against which the top edge of the check engages, and swinging arms pivoted to the sides of said top section with their free ends adapted to rest on the check as weights for holding it in contact with said bedplate.

8. A check writervin accordance with claim 7 characterized by the free ends of said swinging arms comprising a sight gauge for properly positioning the check with respect to the printing members and thus determining the proper adjustment of the stop gauge.

9. In a check writer, a casing having a sight opening and an index column, a shaft supported in the casing, a type carrier rotatable on said shaft and including a segmental portion having a series of type characters on its peripheral surface, a key comprising a finger piece on said carrier and operable along said index, a strip of n f flexible material having a free end and its other end secured at one end to thetype carrier and having characters thereon corresponding with said index, a support over which said strip is movable as the type carrier is rotated, and a guide for said strip, the character viewed through i slot, a shaft supported in said casing, a type carrier rotatable on said shaft and includinga'segmental portion having a series of type characters on its peripheral surface, a key comprising a nger piece on said carrier and extending through said slot so as to be operable from the exterior of the casing, a strip of exible material secured at one end to the type carrier, a segmental member secured to the type carrier and over which said strip is flexed as the finger piece is moved forwardly, a support over which the strip rides and whereby its free portion is held substantially tangential to said segmental member and a guide for the strip, the character viewed through said sight opening corresponding to the type character in printing position.

11. In a check writer, a casing havingsight openings and a plurality of parallel slots, index columns along said slots, a shaft supported in said casing, a plurality of type carriers independently rotatable on said shaft, means for yieldingly holding the type carriers in position of rotary adjustment, each such type carrier including a segmental portion having a series of type characters on its peripheral surface, a key comprising an arm extending through one of said slots and a segmental arm carried by the finger piece, fiexible strips secured at their forward ends to said arms and over which the strips are flexed in the forward movement of the keys, a rod over which the free portions of said strips ride and whereby they are supported substantially tangential to the segmental arms, and means for guiding said strips, the characters viewed through said sight openings corresponding to the type set-up.

12. A check writer in accordance with claim 11 characterized by said flexible strips and said segmental arms having cooperating engaging means whereby the strips are detachably connected to the arms.

13. A check writing machine in accordance with claim 11 but including a cross bar in which said sight openings are formed and characterized by said guides being projections turned inwardly from the side edges of said bar.

14. A check writer in accordance with claim 11 but including a removable cover plate in which said slots are formed and bearing said index columns, such plate also having sight openings, and a cross bar in which the rst named sight openings are formed, the guides for said strips being formed on such cross bar, and a window of transparent material interposed between the cross bar and said cover plate. f

15. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a casing, a bed plate having an opening, a printing surface above the bed plate, a platen movable through said opening to impress a check against said printing surface and means for actuating the platen, of a stripper plate of flexible material and also having an opening for the platen, said plate being supported above the bed plate and anchored along one edge, check engaging means normally lying below the bed plate parallel to and adjacent the platen and movable into contact with the check slightly in advance of the platen, the check being raised from the bed plate and held by said engaging means against said stripper plate, and spring devices carried by the platen for effecting operative movement of said check engaging and stripper actuating means, said spring devices functioning to maintain the stripper plate and its actuating means in operative engagement with the check held between them until the platen has 15g moved out of contact with said printing surface.

16. A machine of the character described in accordance with claim 15 characterized by said printing surface being one of a plurality of type lines and by said stripper plate also functioning as a guard for preventing contact of the check with any of the type lines other than the one in printing position.

17. A machine of the character described in accordance with claim 15 characterized by said stripper plate being anchored along its rear edge and by said stripper plate actuating means including a flexible plate anchored at its forward edge and having an up-turned flange along its free rear edge, such flange being the check engaging member, and also by said spring devices being fingers carried by said platen.

18. In a check writer, the combination with a casing, a type line, a bearing surface in rear of the type line, a support for the check, a platen for impressing the check against the type and means foi actuating the platen including an operating shaft, of a yieldable stripper plate spaced above said check support, means for actuating the stripper plate, a carriage movable over said stripper plate, such carriage including a bar having a roughened under surface, a pad and a holder therefor having hinged connection with said bar, means for guiding said carriage, connections operable by said shaft for effecting a rearward and forward movement of the carriage as the platen is moved, respectively, into and out of operative position, said bar normally engaging under and in contact with said bearing surface, a second platen operable to impress the check against the under-surface of said bar and spring retractable means for actuating said platen.

19. In a check writer, two printing elements adapted to impress a check between them, one of which is a type carrier and the other a platen, a shaft, an operating lever having a limited angular movement for effecting rotary movement of the shaft, a two-armed lever, one arm carrying said platen and the other having toggle connection with said shaft, a carriage including a pad adapted to ride over the face of said type, a support for the carriage, a guide for the carriage, means for actuating said carriage comprising a second lever fixed to said shaft, a lever pivoted at one end to a fixed part and having pinand-slot connection with the carriage, connections between said second lever and said pivoted lever for effecting reciprocating movement of the carriage, and a reinking roller with which said pad frictionally engages.

20. A check writer in accordance with claim 19 characterized by said pin-and-slot connection including a stud carried by said pivoted lever and an inverted U-shaped member upstanding from said carriage, and by the connections between the pivoted lever and said second named shaft lever including a two-armed lever, a link connecting one of the arms with the pivoted lever and a link connecting the other arm with the shaft lever.

21. In a check writer, the combination with a rotary printing element having a plurality of type characters selectively movable to a printing point, of a flexible registering member bearing the same set of characters and connected to the printing element to wind thereon with a corresponding movement of its characters relatively to an index point dening the setting of the printing element.

22. In a check writer, the combination with a pair of shredding dies, one of which embodies a bar movable toward and from the other to make an impression, of guides for the movable die loosely holding the ends of the same, means embodying a system of levers for actuating the movable die arcuately, and a spring for holding it in true position for rectilinear movement against one side of its guides at the time of contact of the dies.

23. In a check writer, the combination with a casing, of a shaft, a plurality of relatively interspersed movable and fixed printing elements on the shaft insertible as an assembled unit into the casing, operating members for the movable elements arranged to project from the casing to be operable from the exterior, and means for locking the fixed printing elements to the casing.

24. In a check writer, the combination with an impression couple, one element of which is movable toward and from the other, and a supporting table for presenting a check therebetween, of a stripper movable with the said movable element and comprising a pair of resilient grippers between which the check is held taut on the xed element and then positively returned to the table before being released by the grippers.

25. In a check writer, the combination with a casing, a printing surface, a support for the check, a platen for impressing the check against the printing surface, and means for actuating the platen including an operating shaft, of a yieldable stripper plate, a carriage movable over the stripper plate including a pad for inking said printing surface and a holder for the pad, means for guiding said carriage, connections operable by said shaft for effecting a rearward and forward movement of the carriage as the platen is moved, respectively, into and out of operative position, and means engaged by said ink pad for effecting a re-inking thereof, said pad holder having hinged connection with the carriage and the reinking means comprising a roller which is caused to rotate by frictional engagement of the pad therewith.

26. In a check writer, the combination with a casing, a printing surface, a support for the check, a platen for impressing the check against the printing surface, and means for actuating the platen including an operating shaft, of a yieldable stripper plate, a carriage movable over the stripper plate including a pad for inking said printing surface anda holder for the pad, means for guiding said carriage, connections operable by said shaft for eecting a rearward and forward movement of the carriage as the platen is moved, respectively, into and out of operative position, and means engaged by said ink pad for effecting a re-inking thereof, said pad holder having hinged connection with the carriage and said re-inking means embodying a roller which is caused to rotate by frictional engagement of the pad therewith, and including a raised surface over which the pad holder rides to bring the pad into frictional contact with the roller, such pad, as the holder rides off said raised surface effecting a spinning of the rollers for the purposes set forth.

HERMAN C. WELTER.

DISCLAIMER 1,959,186.Herm m O. Welter, Rochester, N. Y. CHECK WRITER. Patent dated May 15, 1934. Disclaimer filed December 11,1934, by the assignee, Hall- Welter O0. Ine.

Hereby enters this disclaimer to that part of the claim in said specification which is in the following words, to wit:

7. In a check writer, a casing comprising a base and a top section overhanging the base to provide a slot opening for receiving a check, a bed plate on said base as a support for the check, a type support and a platen movable relatively toward each other to impress the check between them, said bed plate having a slot to permit cooperative engagement of the type and platen, an adjustable stop gauge against which the top edge of the check engages, and swinging arms pivoted to the' sides of said top section with their free ends adapted to rest on the check as weights for holding it in contact with said bed plate.

8. A check writer in accordance with claim 7 characterized by the free ends of said swinging arms comprising a sight gauge for properly positioning the check with respect to the printing members and thus determining the proper adjustment of the stop gauge.

[Oficial Gazette January 1, 1935.] 

